Goal No 207 for Pietie

Updated: January 28, 2011

The Investec South Africa women’s hockey team’s fine run of form came to a temporary halt on Thursday night when they were beaten 3-1 by China in the third Test between the teams at the Wanderers Club in Johannesburg.

China, the world’s fourth-ranked side, led 3-0 at half-time.

World number 12 SA lead the series 2-1 with the fourth Test scheduled to be fought out at the Wanderers at 7pm Friday night.

Zhang Xiaoxue opened the scoring in the first minute, Liu Yating made it 2-0 in the 15th minute and Xiaoxue got her brace with four minutes to half-time.

Coach Giles Bonnet once again fielded an inexperienced SA team, without captain Marsha Marescia and a host of stars, and they had a far better second half and deserved far more than stand-in captain Pietie Coetzee’s stunning goal ÔÇô the best of the series so far – which she netted 15 minutes from full-time.

It was Coetzee’s 207th goal in 212 Test matches and Natella Krasnikova of Russia’s world record of 220 is getting closer and closer.

The fifth and sixth Tests take place at the Kaspersky Randburg Hockey Stadium on Saturday and Sunday, both starting at 5pm, before the Investec International Series roadshow moves to the University of Free State hockey centre in Bloemfontein.

And in exciting news released by SA Hockey Association CEO Marissa Langeni after Thursday night’s match at Wanderers, world No17 Belgium, who arrived in Johannesburg on Thursday, will meet world No14 Azerbaijan at 3pm at Randburg on both Saturday and Sunday, making for an exciting double-header of hockey Tests at the weekend.